Cat Training and Behavior (Domestic and Feral)/ressident cat in vet office

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Expert: Dear Tabbi - 9/16/2008


Question
Why do most vet offices seem to have a resident cat?

Answer
Pat,

There is not a 'universal' reason.
The most common reason is...no particular reason.

One of my vet's offices has a 'resident cat' because the cat was left to them when the owner died because the person wanted a good home for the cat, so they kept it as an 'office cat'.

Sometimes cats get dropped off for treatment and not picked up. A lot of times the vets will keep a mellow, friendly cat to become an 'office cat' because no one can take the cat home and it has adapted to being in the office.

Since the technicians usually like cats, they like to have one around to 'help', and it helps mellow some people out who are nervous about their cat going to see the vet. Plus it is a 'conversation piece'.

Our city has a Veterinarian Technician/Assisant teaching college. The students work on the cats during the school year then find homes for them. Occassionally they can't find a home for one so when the student gets a job in a vet's office they will bring the cat to the office to care for.

I hope this helped answer your question.

Tabbi  

Cat Training and Behavior (Domestic and Feral)

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Dear Tabbi

Expertise

My expertise is in helping people understand their cat (or cats) and their behavior. Questions are welcome even if you don't have a cat....just a question about them. Hopefully my experience, suggestions, and comments will be of help to you...and your cat (or cats). Looking through my past responses to questions will give you additional information and/or answers too. Domestic Cats = cats (no matter what breed) who are tame or not wild, or abandoned cats who were pets that became wild, but can be tamed again. Ferals = cats who are born with one or more parents who were wild stray cats. They usually have had no interactions with people. They have an inbred distrust of humans and are difficult to socialize. They are skittish, hide, and are afraid of people. They take a lot of time and patience to work with them. A lot of kittens from shelters had a feral parent.

Experience

Since I was a child, over 45 years, I have been owned by a LOT of cats and kittens of almost every temperament, behavior, and personality. I have had experience with neurotic, disabled (including blind), stray, and 'problem child' cats and kittens. (A few normal cats too!) Plus all the things a lifetime of owning cats and research has taught me. I also have experience in feral cat behavior (which is different from domestic cats), and some experience with feral colonies that includes colony feeding and feral cat TNR (trap/neuter/release).

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